ManTalks Podcast

It's my opinion that a huge part of a man's journey is being able to have real conversations about the struggles we have with maleness. Some men respond by disowning as much of their maleness as they can, but leave a lot of disconnection, pain, and anger unhealed. The end result is a personality type that (in my opinion) does more harm than good. Did you enjoy the podcast? If so, please leave us a...

Unless you’re living in total media blackout, you’ve got at least an awareness of the effect Christianity has on every aspect of America. What you might not know is how deep that rabbit hole goes. The brilliant history professor Kristin Du Mez does, though, so I brought her on for an exploration of evangelical Christianity, its obsession with “warrior Christ”, the contortion and cherry-picking of...

For our last episode for Mental Health Awareness Month, I want to share some really straightforward ways to regulate your nervous system that worked for me, as well as give some info on the sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous systems and the roles they play. Thanks so much for tuning in to these episodes. I hope you've gotten some inspiration or motivation from them to take care of yourself in...

In a culture that seems to be fraying and coming apart at the seams, does Buddhism have any possibilities? Last week I got to chat with celebrated Buddhist teacher and mentor Ethan Nichtern, and hear a bit about Buddhist psychology, Tantric Buddhism, and how the Middle Path can help us navigate not just our own minds but the world around us. I really appreciated Ethan's expertise; he effortlessly...

This week's mini-episode is part 3 of 4 for Mental Health Awareness Month. A look at something we all carry: a shadow. The amalgamation of everything we avoid, deny, or disown about ourselves. Despite the fact that it can be, uh, highly confronting, recognizing and revealing your shadow is (in my opinion) one of the greatest things you can do for yourself. Did you enjoy the podcast? If so, please...

Agriculture. Capitalism. Controversy. Biology. Viruses. This is a heavy one, my friends, and requires a bit of a preface on the cultural risks of meme-ifying the “other side”, which you’ll hear. I really hope you listen, but more than that, I hope you begin engaging in dialogue. I’ve wanted Zach on the show for a while now, and have been following his work with interest, and I’d be happy to hear y...

The first few months of having a child turn your world upside down. Full stop. This week, I had my incredible wife Vienna on the show to cover all the angles of our recent entry into parenting—my experience, her experience, our experiences of each other. Our joys, concerns, projections, and all the other things we had to navigate surrounding (as Stephen Jenkinson puts it) becoming “parent-lings”....

May is Mental Health Awareness Month. As such, I want to use my platform this month to share some of the things that have shifted my own mental health in a positive direction. Wanna be clear, these aren't cure-alls—nothing is—but they are clear and deliberate steps you can take. This week, replacing unhealthy coping mechanisms with generative rituals.  We’re all in this together. If this episode r...

It’s Mental Health Awareness Month, so I’m dedicating this month’s mini-episodes to that topic. The last year has undoubtedly left a mark on the hearts and minds of uncountable millions.  I feel those of us with the means and ability have a responsibility to do what they can to create what they can to help. Put another way, the end-stage of the Hero’s Journey is to bring the treasures wrestled fro...

This week, something unique in the ManTalks podcast's history! Shortly after my son was born, Ian MacKenzie over at The Mythic Masculine proposed we switch chairs; he'd come on the show and interview ME on my recent entry into fatherhood. We cover what it's been like so far, what I've learned, what led me and my wife to the decision of having a child, and much, much more. If you're a new parent or...

I’m not a huge fan of the idea of “the One” (except Neo, obviously). Nevertheless, I’m often asked, “How did you know your wife was the right one?” So let’s break it down. Listen in for some of the things I’ve learned that are incredibly important when looking for the ideal partner. Did you enjoy the podcast? If so, please leave us a review on Apple Podcasts , Stitcher , or Podchaser . It helps us...

About a month ago I had the honor of chatting with my friend Kute Blackson on surrender, something that often lands in “woo” territory instead of tactical, actionable advice. That's not the case with Kute, though, who merges passion, wisdom, and practicality here into a message of surrender that hits hard. Be sure to listen to this. Kute Blackson is the author of the national bestselling book You....

Still thinking about your ex? Sometimes the heart math surrounding breakups is so complex it leaves you paralyzed by rumination. This week, a quick breakdown of some of the reasons why this happens. If you resonate with this or know someone else who will, please share it. Let’s help each other achieve deeper insight. Did you enjoy the podcast? If so, please leave us a review on Apple Podcasts , St...

In a culture where polarization feels like it's increasing, understanding each other is a radical act. This week, Brian Falduto and I get into the fear, wounding, and shadow contained within straight men and men in the queer community, and how to create better discourse and understanding. Because while there are differences in experiential content, there's also more overlap than you might think. T...

Yesterday I put out the ask to followers on Instagram: what do you want me to talk about? Within minutes, I had multiple men bring up the topic of self-forgiveness. Questions like, “How do I forgive myself for infidelity? For lying? For a business that I ruined?” Friends, this is a big deal. I break down the reasons why we struggle to forgive ourselves, how we need to change how we look at forgive...

Grab your notepad for this one. I wanted to have Eddie on the show because it’s somewhat rare to view sexual addiction (porn or otherwise) through the lens of Inner Child work. How we reveal and heal the wounds of our past is how we heal our present, and Inner Child work is an incredibly powerful framework to do that in. Eddie breaks down the Inner Child with nuance and deep intelligence, and it w...

We as men have often fall into this idea that there’s one big solution—one psychological big bang—that’ll “fix” everything in our personal development journey. I call it the Golden Gun, and just like its namesake, it’s (surprise!) NOT real. Listen in to find out where the real fix is, why we need it, and why it deserves more recognition and respect. Did you enjoy the podcast? If so, please leave u...

It’s difficult to really articulate the kind of man Stephen Jenkinson is. I’ve interviewed hundreds of brilliant people and studied many more, but very few approach the same level of profoundly medicinal wisdom as Jenkinson. To say I’m a fan is an understatement. Bear with the occasional rough patch of audio and listen to some challenging depth. Stephen Jenkinson, MTS, MSW is an activist, teacher,...

This mini-episode is a little different. As some of you might know, I became a dad just over two weeks ago. Not long before his arrival, I found myself contemplating and writing about what I was experiencing. So I wanted to share that, in the hopes that other men—fathers, sons, grandfathers, boys, adults—find their own answers to the question: what can a man say to the son he hasn't met yet? Did y...

Did psychedelics play a role in mystical insight, human ingenuity, and the development of Western civilization? Is there a secret religion hidden underpinning the most ancient spiritual practices of Greece, Turkey, and elsewhere? Join me and Brain Muraresku for a mind-bending look at our history as a civilization, as spiritual beings, and how psychedelics might be intertwined into it all. This was...

We get way too caught up in the idea that personal development is always expansion, always growth, always becoming. That, my friends, is not true. In this episode, I break down my main issue with personal development, and what we need to talk about in order to lock in actual growth. To me, personal development has just as much “unbecoming” as it does “becoming”. Did you enjoy the podcast? If so, p...

The intersection of technology and the nervous system has always fascinated me, especially when it comes to mental healing, navigating trauma. Jim Poole has been at the forefront of this field for a while now. We cover the convergence of tech and mindfulness, human evolution, the theta brainwave state, and a lot more.  Jim is an accomplished business executive with extensive experience in the dent...

Alright. Let me be clear: I am not making a case for or against him. This is me trying to find deeper answers to why Peterson is such a divisive figure, as well as observing the (frankly) dire situation masculine culture is in. When I see people either hyper-pedestal someone or viciously denigrate them, that’s a solid cue to look at both the person and what they might symbolize in the psyche of th...

Jenny and I dig into some of the practical applications of things like CBD and functional mushrooms (think Lion’s Mane, Chaga, Turkey Tail, and others). A healthy mind and a healthy body absolutely go hand in hand. If you’re looking to elevate your sleep, cognition, or overall wellbeing, listen to this. Side note: This was recorded some time ago, but I was surprised to find out both Amazon and Ins...

This week, I wanted to talk about what sexual polarity is, how you can create sexual tension or sexual charge, and the logistics around that. Based on the research, the last year has really done a number on some people’s sex lives—maintaining sexual desire can obviously be tough in situations like lockdowns. Listen to this for more than a few straightforward ways to re-ignite that fire. Did you en...